4 Popular Vikings Caught in the Roster Bubble Crunch
In three days, all the Minnesota Vikings’ summer evaluations will come to a head, and the team will carve the roster from 90 players to 53.
Four notable Vikings find themselves on the roster bubble, with their futures in Minnesota uncertain as cut day nears and depth chart battles take center stage.
All preseason games are now in the books, and Minnesota will announce that regular season roster on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, these popular players have unclear fates heading into roster cut week. They’re listed alphabetically.
All Eyes Now on 4 Vikings Battling the Roster Bubble
These four players have it all on the line next week.
1. Mekhi Blackmon | CB
Blackmon played frequently in the preseason — not a good thing for a veteran player. As non-rookies, their goal is to sit out the preseason. Blackmon played oodles of snaps.
And during those contests, especially in preseason game No. 2, Blackmon struggled.
The third-year corner must hold off fellow corners like Dwight McGlothern, Zemaiah Vaughn, Ambry Thomas, and Tavierre Thomas for a roster spot.
Zone Coverage‘s Trevor Ripley wrote about Blackmon this week: “Newcomer Jeff Okudah has seemingly secured a backup role, and Dwight McGlothern has made splash plays all camp, so where does Blackmon fit in here, if at all? If there isn’t a role for Blackmon, it would be a disappointing end to a string of defensive backs that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took early in the draft.”
“The Vikings took Cine, Booth, and Akayleb Evans in 2022 and have already booted them from the squad. And now Blackmon, taken in the third round in 2023, stands on shaky ground. While the GM’s unfruitful drafts are a discussion for another day, Blackmon looked ready to break the trend after a positive rookie season.”
Blackmon later did nothing noteworthy in the final preseason game.
“Now, after his injury wiped Blackmon’s second season away and his uninspiring preseason, things are maybe more uncertain than most fans had ever expected. With one preseason game remaining, Blackmon needs a strong performance to show he deserves even a reserve role on this year’s defense,” Ripley continued.
“There have been flashes, but consistency is key in the NFL, and his play, along with injuries beyond his control, has led to a very uneven career. He has the tools to be a successful corner in the league; it’s just about putting everything together. For Mekhi Blackmon, it’s now or never.”
2. Ty Chandler | RB
Chandler has no contract extension in plain view, and his RB3 counterpart, Zavier Scott, has outplayed him in the preseason games, along with parts of training camp.
In the 2023 campaign, Chandler showed flashes of brilliance in games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, but he hasn’t done much since.
Minnesota might retain Scott over Chandler, or peruse the post-cutdown free-agent market for a new third running back.
3. Lucky Jackson | WR
Minnesota is reportedly eyeing trades for additional wide receivers, and if so, Jackson could return to a familiar spot in 2025: the practice squad.
Jackson absolutely bedazzled at training camp and in the first preseason game, but in the second exhibition context, reality caught up with the ex-UFL standout. He dropped a couple of easy passes and didn’t look like he belonged on an NFL roster.
Now, he’s back on the roster bubble.
CBS Sports noted on Jackson last weekend: “Jackson caught one of five targets for nine yards in Saturday’s 20-12 preseason loss to New England. With Justin Jefferson (hamstring), Jordan Addison (suspension) and Jalen Nailor (hand) all held out of the contest, Jackson got the start but did very little with the opportunity.”
“The second-year wideout out of Western Kentucky is battling with 2025 third-round pick Tai Felton for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart — a role that could end up being significant early in the season with Addison set to miss the first three games — but Saturday’s performance likely caused Jackson to lose ground in the competition.”
4. Ryan Wright | P
Wright’s main punting competition, a man named Oscar Chapman, bobbled a field goal hold on Friday night, and that might’ve swung the battle in Wright’s favor.
The Vikings probably need a fresh punter, but Wright is a pretty damn effective holder. Still, Wright’s job is up in the air, and he’s a bubble guy.
Thankfully for Wright’s sake, if he’s cut, he should be able to find work before too long. He has a big leg.
You must be logged in to post a comment.